1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a radiation curable arts and crafts toy in the form of a kit wherein three-dimensional articles shaped with or without a mold or shaped using hand malleable molds are formed using visible or near visible light curable polymers. The method uses radiation curable polymers to create crafts, toys, science kits, “clay-type” molds, building sets, ornaments, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Creating formed objects using mediums such as baked clay generally requires both an extended period of time and extremely high temperatures. As such, it is an adult oriented project that takes long periods of time not allowing children to participate on their own because of safety concerns. Children's toys such as Legos, Lincoln Logs and erector sets do not allow for the kids to be part of the fabrication of the materials used. Toys like bake ovens also require adult supervision. The ability for the children to create various 3-dimensional structures such as those resembling logs, blocks, stone, or wood or other building material would be both a unique experience and an excellent teaching tool.
Molding devices for making toys have been popular with children for generations. They can be used to melt and mold waxes, resins, thermoplastics or certain metal alloys to make interesting objects. However, the melting and molding process typically requires a heat source and relatively high temperatures. Although nothing can be completely safe, previous molding toys have not been as simple or as safe as today's parents desire.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,063,109, issued to Rapaport, describes a toy casting machine for melting metal which includes an electrically heated melting chamber. The Rapaport patent reports that the toy casting machine is safe because the melting chamber is covered during operation. However, the path of molten material from a discharge spout to the mold is freely accessible to any child who operates the toy casting machine. If the mold were to overflow, or the molten material were to leak from the mold for any reason, a child operator might impulsively intervene by, for example, placing his or her fingers in the path of the molten material. Also, it is possible that some children will attempt to add additional solid material to the melting chamber during operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,548, issued to Saffer et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,115, issued to Lebensfeld et al., describe toy casting machines for melting plastic that include melting chambers rotatably mounted so that they can be tipped to pour molten material into a mold. In both of these patents, the melting chamber and molding area are surrounded by a protective housing. However, rotatably mounted melting chambers are inherently prone to accidental rotation and discharge and are, therefore, undesirable in a toy for children.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,009, issued to Gillespie, includes an apparatus for reclaiming broken and worn crayons comprising a radiant and convective heat supply in the form of an electric light bulb. A housing, which has a heat reflective surface, surrounds the light bulb and forms chutes for receiving broken and worn crayons. Molds are arranged beneath the chutes and when the crayons have melted, crayon material flows from the chutes to the molds under the influence of gravity. However, the light bulb that supplies radiant and convective heat appears to be freely accessible to a child who uses the apparatus.
Similarly, toys which enable children to make toy figures of a flexible or edible character have become popular. Generally, such toys include a chemical composition, which may be conveniently contained within a plastic squeeze bottle, which composition adopts certain characteristics in response to changes, such as temperature or pressure. Conveniently, such toys will include molds having patterns embossed therein for the creation of toy figures or creatures which may simulate insects, monsters, or science-fiction type characters. Such molds are static in nature and may be one or two parts, that is, they may have a single cavity into which the composition is poured or may be two-sided to create a three dimensional object wherein the two sides of the mold have mating cavities configured to create a given object.
In such a toy molding apparatus, heat is generally required, the heat usually taking the form of an electrical light bulb which necessitates connection to normal household alternating current. The heat from such heat sources is usually concentrated and certain precautions must be taken with respect to the use of such objects or toys by children.
A need exists for a safe and simple molding device for use by children. Desirably, the toy molding process would protect children from the hot molten material.